System and method for protecting systems from malicious attacks

ABSTRACT

The disclosed embodiments include a method of disarming malicious code in a computer system having a processor. The method comprises receiving, by the computer system, input content, and rendering, by the processor, any malicious code included in the input content inactive for its intended malicious purpose without applying a malware detection algorithm to the input content. The rendering is performed by automatically applying, using the processor, a data value alteration model to the input content for altering select data values within the input content, and outputting a new content reflecting the application of the data value alteration model to the input content. The processor renders any malicious code included in the input content inactive for its intended malicious purpose without regard to any structure used to encapsulate the input content. The input content includes media content.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This disclosure claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to U.S.provisional patent application No. 62/442,452, filed on Jan. 5, 2017.The aforementioned application is incorporated herein by reference inits entirety.

BACKGROUND

A shellcode is a small piece of program code that may be embedded in afile that hackers can use to exploit vulnerable computers. Hackerstypically embed shellcode in a file to take control of a computer whenthe computer runs a program to open or read the file. It is called“shellcode” because it typically starts a “command shell” to takecontrol of the computer, though any piece of program code or softwarethat performs any malicious task, like taking control of a computer, canbe called “shellcode.”

Most shellcode is written in a low level programming language called“machine code” because of the low level at which the vulnerability beingexploited gives an attacker access to a process executing on thecomputer. Shellcode in an infected or malicious file is typicallyencoded or embedded in byte level data—a basic data unit of informationfor the file. At this data unit level of a file, actual data orinformation for the file (e.g., a pixel value of an image) andexecutable machine code are indistinguishable. In other words, whether adata unit (i.e., a byte(s) or bit(s)) represents a pixel value for animage file or executable shellcode cannot typically be readilydetermined by examination of the byte level data.

Indeed, shellcode is typically crafted so that the infected or maliciousfile appears to be a legitimate file and in many cases functions as alegitimate file. Additionally, an infected or malicious file includingembedded shellcode may not be executable at all by some softwareapplications, and thus the infected file may appear as a legitimate fileimposing no threat to a computer. That is, an infected or maliciousimage file, for example, may be processed by an application executed ona computer to display a valid image and/or to “execute” the byte leveldata as “machine code” to take control of a computer or to perform otherfunctions dictated by the shellcode. Thus, whether a process executingon a computer interprets a byte or sequence of bytes of a file torepresent information of the file, or instead to execute maliciousmachine code, depends on a vulnerability in a targeted applicationprocess executed on the computer.

Shellcode is therefore often created to target one specific combinationof processor, operating system and service pack, called a platform.Additionally, shellcode is often created as the payload of an exploitdirected to a particular vulnerability of targeted software on acomputer, which in some cases may be specific to a particular version ofthe targeted software. Thus, for some exploits, due to the constraintsput on the shellcode by the target process or target processorarchitecture, a very specific shellcode must be created. However, it ispossible for one shellcode to work for multiple exploits, service packs,operating systems and even processors.

Attackers typically use shellcode as the payload of an exploit targetinga vulnerability in an endpoint or server application, triggering a bugthat leads to “execution” of the byte level machine code. The actualmalicious code may be contained within the byte level payload of theinfected file, and to be executed, must be made available in theapplication process space, e.g., memory allocated to an application forperforming a desired task. This may be achieved by loading the maliciouscode into the process space, which can be done by exploiting avulnerability in an application known to the shellcode developer. Acommon technique includes performing a heap spray of the malicious bytelevel shellcode, which includes placing certain byte level data of thefile (e.g., aspects of the embedded shellcode) at locations of allocatedmemory of an application process. This may exploit a vulnerability ofthe application process and lead the processor to execute the shellcodepayload.

One known heap spray technique implemented by hackers includes embeddingthe payload of the malicious shellcode in an image file to be opened bya victim computer. An example of this technique is the CVE-2014-0322exploit. This exploit stored the payload of the malicious machine codein a downloadable JPG image file. The payload of the JPG image fileincluded legitimate image bytes together with bytes representing theactual malicious code that caused the victim computer to execute thefirst stage of the attack. Had the JPG image file been blocked ordisarmed to prevent or disrupt execution of the malicious code, theattack could have been prevented.

Another example of a shellcode attack is the CVE-2014-0502 exploit inwhich, as a first stage of attack, shellcode was used as part of anexploit targeting a vulnerability in a version of the Adobe® Flash®Player application to download a malicious GIF file, which containedencrypted/encoded shellcode embedded within. As part of a second stageof attack the shellcode in the infected GIF file is eventually executed,leading to download of the actual backdoor that compromised the victimcomputer.

Another technique that has been used by hackers included embeddingshellcode in a file that itself does not contain the machine code thatallows the hacker to take control of the computer. Instead, the executedshellcode points to another file or network location and directs theapplication process to load an executable side file (side channel) thatallows the hacker to take control of the computer. One example of thisis the CVE-2014-4114 exploit, which introduced a method to use aPowerPoint presentation that contained a remote or embedded image (e.g.,slide1.gif) that is actually an executable (with PE header) file. TheCVE-2014-4114 attack exploited a logical bug in application softwarethat was used to trigger the embedded image as an executable, renamingslide1.gif to slide1.gif.exe, that was then automatically executedleading to full control of the victim computer.

Each of the above attacks used shellcode exploits contained within imagefiles that were run, opened, or downloaded by application software ofthe victim computer. Similar attacks may also be staged using filesincluding audio and/or video data or other file types—not just imagedata. In these examples, the malicious image files in some respectincluded legitimate image data that, but for a targeted vulnerability ofparticular application software, would not have resulted in execution ofthe embedded shellcode. That a malicious image file can includelegitimate data and be used in many respects as expected, makes thesekinds of attacks very difficult to prevent using conventionaltechniques.

For example, conventional techniques include attempts to identifymalicious files by screening incoming files at a host computer or serverbased on a comparison of the possibly malicious code to a knownmalicious signature. These signature-based malware detection techniques,however, are incapable of identifying malicious files for which amalicious signature has not yet been identified. Accordingly, it isgenerally not possible to identify new malicious exploits, as thetechnique lags behind the crafty hacker. Furthermore, in most cases,malicious shellcode is embedded in otherwise legitimate files havingproper structure and characteristics, such that they may not bedetectable based on a signature-based comparison.

Another conventional technique is based on the use of behavior-basedtechniques or heuristics to identify characteristics of known shellcodeexploits or other suspicious activity or behavior, such as that based ona heap spray attack. One such technique implements a “sandbox,” (e.g., atype of secured, monitored, or virtual operating system environment)which can be used to virtually execute untested or untrusted programs,files, or code without risking harm to the host machine or operatingsystem. That is, conventional sandbox techniques may execute or detonatea file while monitoring the damage or operations post-detonation such aswriting to disk, network activity, spawn of new processes etc. andmonitor for suspicious behaviors. This technique, however, also suffersfrom the inability to identify new exploits for which a (software)vulnerability has not yet been identified, e.g., so called zero-dayexploits. Some sophisticated malware have also been developed to evadesuch “sandbox” techniques by halting or skipping if it detects that itis running in such a virtual execution or monitored environment.Furthermore, clever hackers consistently evolve their code to includedelayed, or staged attacks that may not be detected from evaluation of asingle file, for example, or may lay in wait for a future unknownprocess to complete an attack. Thus, in some situations it may be toocomputationally intensive or impracticable to identify some shellcodeexploits using conventional sandbox techniques.

Furthermore, because shellcode attacks are often designed to exploit aspecific vulnerability of a particular version of an applicationprogram, it is very difficult to identify a malicious file if thatvulnerable version of the application program is not executed at ascreening host computer or server. This creates additional problems fornetworks of computers that may be operating different versions ofapplication or operating system software. Thus, while a shellcode attackincluded in a file may be prevented or undetected at a first computerbecause its application software does not include the targetvulnerability, the malicious file may then be shared within the networkwhere it may be executed at a machine that is operating the targetedvulnerable version of application software.

Thus, there is a need for alternative techniques to prevent maliciousshellcode attacks, including new zero-day exploits.

SUMMARY

In the following description certain aspects and embodiments of thepresent disclosure will become evident. It should be understood that thedisclosure, in its broadest sense, could be practiced without having oneor more features of these aspects and embodiments. It should also beunderstood that these aspects and embodiments are merely example.

The disclosed embodiments include a method of disarming malicious codein a computer system having a processor. The method comprises receiving,by the computer system, input content, and rendering, by the processor,any malicious code included in the input content inactive for itsintended malicious purpose without applying a malware detectionalgorithm to the input content. The rendering is performed byautomatically applying, using the processor, a data value alterationmodel to the input content for altering select data values within theinput content, and outputting a new content reflecting the applicationof the data value alteration model to the input content. The processorrenders any malicious code included in the input content inactive forits intended malicious purpose without regard to any structure used toencapsulate the input content. The input content includes media content.

Another disclosed embodiment includes a non-transitory computer-readablemedium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, causethe processor to perform operations for disarming malicious code in acomputer system. The operations comprise receiving input content, andrendering any malicious code included in the input content inactive forits intended malicious purpose without applying a malware detectionalgorithm to the input content. The rendering is performed byautomatically applying a data value alteration model to the inputcontent for altering select data values within the input content, andoutputting a new content reflecting the application of the data valuealteration model to the input content. Any malicious code included inthe input content is rendered inactive for its intended maliciouspurpose without regard to any structure used to encapsulate the inputcontent.

Another disclosed embodiment includes a system for disarming maliciouscode. The system comprises a memory device storing a set ofinstructions, and a processor configured to execute the set ofinstructions to receive input content and render any malicious codeincluded in the input content inactive for its intended maliciouspurpose without applying a malware detection algorithm to the inputcontent. The processor is configured to render the malicious codeinactive for its intended malicious purpose by automatically applying adata value alteration model to the input content for altering selectdata values within the input content, and outputting a new contentreflecting the application of the data value alteration model to theinput content. The processor is configured to render any malicious codeincluded in the input content inactive for its intended maliciouspurpose without regard to any structure used to encapsulate the inputcontent.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are by example and explanatory only,and are not restrictive of the disclosed embodiments, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter regarded as the invention is particularly pointed outand distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification.The disclosed principles, however, both as to organization and method ofoperation, together with objects, features, and advantages thereof, maybest be understood by reference to the following detailed descriptionwhen read with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an example computing environmentconsistent with the disclosed embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an example computing systemadapted to perform aspects of the disclosed embodiments;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an example process for modifying an input file,consistent with the disclosed embodiments;

FIG. 4A presents a displayable image of a malicious input file includingencoded shellcode;

FIG. 4B presents a modified image of a modified file created from theinput file of FIG. 4A consistent with the disclosed embodiments;

FIG. 4C presents a difference image of a comparison between the inputfile image of FIG. 4A and the modified file image of FIG. 4B;

FIG. 5A presents a hexadecimal dump of the input file of FIG. 4Aincluding embedded shellcode;

FIG. 5B presents a hexadecimal dump of the modified file of FIG. 4B;

FIG. 6A is a partial disassembled output of the input file of FIG. 4Aincluding embedded shellcode; and

FIG. 6B is a partial disassembled output of the modified file of FIG. 4Bpresenting a change in the embedded shellcode.

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration,elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale.For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggeratedrelative to other elements for clarity. Further, where consideredappropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures toindicate corresponding or analogous elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are setforth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosedexample embodiments. However, it will be understood by those skilled inthe art that the principles of the example embodiments may be practicedwithout every specific detail. Well-known methods, procedures, andcomponents have not been described in detail so as not to obscure theprinciples of the example embodiments.

As explained above, one technique hackers use to obtain control of avictim computer or computing environment is through the execution ofmalicious code at the victim computer or computing environment. One toolused by hackers that is the focus of example embodiments is theembedding of malicious shellcode in media content or a file of mediacontent file type, such as an image, audio, video, or multimedia filetype. The example embodiments, however, are also applicable to othernon-media content and non-media content file types that encode data in abinary data format or other format that allows a binary data block to beembedded in them such that they may include encoded malicious shellcode.

Some hackers aim to exploit specific computer application or operatingsystem vulnerabilities to load bit or byte values of theembedded/encoded malicious shellcode into allocated memory of anapplication process so as to execute the malicious shellcode to takecontrol of the victim computer or to perform other desired functions.One of ordinary skill in the art would understand that hackers implementmany different and evolving techniques to execute shellcode, and thatthe disclosed embodiments include general principles aimed to disarm orprevent the intended execution of malicious shellcode in input contentor an input file regardless of the particular process or techniques ahacker has implemented in the design of the shellcode. Accordingly, thedisclosed embodiments provide advantages over techniques for identifyingor disarming malicious code, including zero-day exploits, which rely ondetection of a known malware signature or detection of suspiciousbehavior. That is, the disclosed embodiments can disarm any maliciouscode included in input content without relying on signature-based orbehavior-based malware detection techniques or any knowledge of aparticular computer vulnerability or other hacking technique.

The example embodiments provide, for example, advantages over techniquesthat rely on an identifiable anomaly in an input file, or deviation ofrelevant specifications of a file type. For example, some shellcodeattacks can be prevented if an input file is not properly structuredaccording to the relevant specifications of the file type. Shellcodeattacks that are based on files that might not be structured accordingto file type specifications, thereby exploiting structural vulnerabilityof the file, can be detected and/or prevented using the exampletechniques described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,047,293 to Grafi et al. However,certain shellcode attacks that preserve a specified structure of a filetype or otherwise resemble a legitimate file, but containembedded/encoded shellcode, either as the payload of a malicious attackor as a side channel to another vulnerability, cannot typically bedetected using, for example, the techniques described in U.S. Pat. No.9,047,293.

Other malicious-file identification techniques are known that identifybyte-level patterns of known or common malicious shellcode in an inputfile (e.g., signature-based malware detection), or use a “sandbox”(e.g., signature-based or behavior-based) or other techniques to“execute” or “detonate” potentially malicious code in a protected mannerto identify suspicious activity. These malicious-file identificationtechniques, however, also suffer from an inability to identify newexploits and other techniques used by hackers to stay ahead ofsophisticated file screening tools. The disclosed embodiments alsoprovide advantages over these techniques because, as described in detailbelow, malicious code in an input file can be disarmed withoutcomputationally intensive inspection and examination of the input fileand without first detecting suspected malicious content or otherwisesuspicious content.

Suspicious content may or may not include malicious code. Suspiciouscontent refers, for example, to a situation where input content maypotentially or more likely include malicious code, such as when theinput content comes from or is associated with an untrusted source.Content may be deemed suspicious based on one or more characteristics ofinput content itself or the manner in which it is received as well asother factors that alone or together may cause suspicion. One example ofa characteristic associated with the input content refers to a propertyassociated with the input content. In one example, the property mayidentify an author of the input content and the system determineswhether the author property matches the source from which the inputcontent was received and if there is no match then the system marks theinput content as suspicious.

Although example embodiments need not first detect suspicious content ormalicious content in order to disarm any malicious code included ininput content, in some embodiments, upon identifying suspicious ormalicious content, the disclosed processes are run to render anymalicious code that may be included in the input content inactive forits intended malicious purpose.

Although the example embodiments are not limited in this regard,discussions utilizing terms such as, for example, “processing,”“computing,” “calculating,” “determining,” “establishing”, “analyzing”,“checking”, or the like, may refer to operation(s) and/or process(es) ofa computer, a computing platform, a computing system, or otherelectronic computing device, that manipulates and/or transforms datarepresented as physical (e.g., electronic) quantities within acomputer's registers and/or memories into other data similarlyrepresented as physical quantities within the computer's registersand/or memories or other non-transitory information storage media thatmay store instructions to perform operations and/or processes. Althoughthe example embodiments are not limited in this regard, the terms“plurality” and “a plurality,” as used herein, may include, for example,“multiple” or “two or more”. The terms “plurality” or “a plurality” maybe used throughout the specification to describe two or more components,devices, elements, units, parameters, or the like. The term “set” whenused herein may include one or more items. Unless explicitly stated, theexample methods and processes described herein are not constrained to aparticular order or sequence. Additionally, some of the describedembodiments or elements thereof can occur or be performedsimultaneously, at the same point in time, or concurrently.

Shellcode, a machine code encoded in the data units or values of inputcontent or an input file that is executed bit by bit by a processor of acomputing device, may be used as the payload in an exploitation of avulnerability of a software application or operating system. Shellcodeis commonly embedded or encoded in the data units of seeminglylegitimate content, files, or other objects that may be run, processed,or executed by an application or operating system of the victim computeror computing device. A data unit of input content or an input file mayinclude a byte or bits, or string of bytes or bits, having a value thatrepresents an aspect of content of the file. For example, in someembodiments, a data unit of an input file of an image type may include abyte or bits or string of bytes or bits that encodes a pixel value of animage or a sample of audio data. In the example embodiments, the size ofa data unit may depend on the file type, content type or othercharacteristic of the input file. A file including embedded or encodedshellcode may be an input file that is accessed by a computing system byany number of means, such as by importing locally via an externalstorage device, downloading or otherwise receiving from a remotewebserver, file server, or content server, for example, or fromreceiving as an e-mail or via e-mail or any other means for accessing orreceiving a file or file-like input content. An input file may be a filereceived or requested by a user of a computing system or other filesaccessed by processes or other applications executed on a computingsystem that may not necessarily be received or requested by a user ofthe computing system. An input file according to the disclosedembodiments may include any file or file-like content, such as anembedded object, that is processed, run, or executed by an applicationor operating system of a computing system. Input content may includeelectronic mail, for example, or streamed content or other content of aformat having at least one data unit or an object having at least onedata unit.

The embedded/encoded shellcode payload is an actual machine code thatmay cause execution flow alteration of an application process that maythen be executed by the victim computer to perform any desired actionintended by a shellcode developer. The example embodiments are directedto modifying the encoded shellcode bytes/bits to disarm, e.g., prevent,affect, or disrupt, the execution of malicious shellcode, so that itdoes not enable or provide the intended function of the shellcode. Forexample, a modification of a byte or bit level value of a data unit isintended to change the encoded malicious machine code or aspects of themalicious machine code such that it generates a non-valid processorinstruction(s), thereby thwarting a completed attack, and/or changes themalicious machine code sufficiently so it will not execute as intendedby the attacker or enable a function intended by the attacker.

The present disclosure describes, among other things, example processesfor modifying data unit values (e.g., byte or bit level values) of areceived or accessed input file or input content having at least onetype of media content, such as image data, video data, and/or audiodata. The example processes create a modified input file (or modifiedinput content) including adjusted data unit values of at least a portionof the media content data of the input file (or input content). Theexample processes thereby aim to disarm (e.g., prevent, affect, ordisrupt) certain malicious attacks caused by shellcode embedded in thereceived input file (or input content). In some embodiments, the portionof media content data selected for modification may be determined so asto increase a probability that at least some of the modified data unitsof media content corresponds to a part of shellcode encoded in the inputfile. Accordingly, the example embodiments aim to prevent, affect, ordisrupt complete execution of any shellcode remaining in the modifiedinput file (or modified input content). The following disclosureprovides additional discussion of example embodiments for disarmingmalicious shellcode of an input file (or input content). While someembodiments of the present disclosure refer to an input file, thedisclosed techniques are also applicable to object within or embedded inan input file or to input content generally, without consideration as towhether it can be characterized as a file or object. Most files and atleast some objects, for example, conform to a structure associated withan application(s) used to access them, as explained in U.S. Pat. No.9,047,293, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.Indeed, techniques disclosed in the aforementioned patent may becombined with techniques disclosed herein in some embodiments, andtogether they may provide robust protection against malicious attacks.

According to an example embodiment, any malicious code or shellcodeincluded in input content received by a computer system may be disarmedor rendered inactive for its intended malicious purpose without applyinga malware detection algorithm to the input content. That is, it is notnecessary to first detect any malicious code or suspected malicious orsuspicious content in the input content in order to render the maliciouscode inactive for its intended malicious purpose. In some embodiments,one or more malware detection techniques may be implemented togetherwith the exemplary embodiments, but knowledge or awareness of suspectedmalicious or suspicious code or content is not required to disarm anymalicious code that may be included in the input content. According toan example embodiment, a processor of a computing system mayautomatically apply a data value alteration model to the input contentfor altering select data values within the input content and output newcontent reflecting an application of the data value alteration model tothe input content. The data value alteration model renders any maliciouscode included in the input content inactive for its intended maliciouspurpose without regard to any structure or format used to encapsulatethe input content. That is the data value alteration model may beapplied to input content without changing a structure, format or otherspecification for the input content. Additionally, the data valuealteration model is determined such that a change to even a part of anymalicious code included in the input content could render the maliciouscode inactive for its intended malicious purpose. In some embodiments, amalware detection algorithm may be applied to the new content reflectingan application of the data value alteration model to the input contentto confirm the applied data value alteration model rendered anymalicious code included in the input content inactive for its intendedmalicious purpose.

According to an example embodiment, malicious code, such as shellcode,in an input file or input content may be disarmed by applyingintentional “noise” to the input file according to a data valuealteration model, such as by changing the data unit values of at leastsome of the data units of the original input file to thereby create amodified input file. According to other embodiments for which a lossycompression is applicable for the specific format of the input file, theinput file may be re-compressed to create a modified input file. Thedisclosed embodiments thereby change the bit or byte levelrepresentation of the content of the input file, such as an image, audioor video, but do so in a way intended to preserve a user'sperceptibility of the content and not to prevent or interfere with anintended use of the content. As a result, at least some aspects of anymalicious shellcode that may have been embedded in legitimate contentdata will have changed in the modified input file and will no longer beoperational as intended, while a user's perception of the modifiedcontent, whether an image, an audio output or a video clip, will belargely unchanged. In some embodiments, the added “noise” may be addedto randomly selected data units to eliminate any replay attack, tothwart crafty hackers, and so that any perceptible changes in themodified content to the user, whether visual and/or aural, may beminimal or negligible and at least will not prevent or interfere with anintended use of the content.

Upon opening, loading, playing, or otherwise accessing the modifiedinput file, the changed/disarmed shellcode in the modified input filewill contain a non-valid processor instruction(s) and/or illogicalexecution flow. Attempts at running or executing the disarmed shellcodewill result in a processor exception and process termination, which willprevent a successful attack. While aspects of the example embodimentsare described herein below as applied to an image file format, theexample embodiments may be applied, with the apparent changes, to othermedia content file formats, such as image files (in any known format),audio files (in any known format) and video files (in any known format).

Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which is a block diagram of an examplecomputing environment 100, consistent with example embodiments of thepresent disclosure. As shown, system 100 may include a plurality ofcomputing systems interconnected via one or more networks 150. A firstnetwork 110 may be configured as a private network. The first network110 may include a plurality of host computers 120, one or more proxyservers 130, one or more e-mail servers 132, one or more file servers134, and a firewall 140. Any of proxy server 130, e-mail server 140, orfirewall 132 may be considered an edge network device that interfaceswith a second network, such as network 150. Host computers 120 and othercomputing devices of first network 110 may be capable of communicatingwith one or more web servers 160, cloud servers and other host computers122 via one or more additional networks 150.

Networks 110 and 150 may comprise any type of computer networkingarrangement used to exchange data among a plurality of computingcomponents and systems. Network 110 may include a single local areanetwork, or a plurality of distributed interconnected networks and maybe associated with a firm or organization. The interconnected computingsystems of network 110 may be within a single building, for example, ordistributed throughout the United States and globally. Network 110,thus, may include one or more private data networks, a virtual privatenetwork using a public network, one or more LANs or WANs, and/or anyother suitable combination of one or more types of networks, secured orunsecured.

Network(s) 150, likewise may comprise any type of computer networkingarrangement for facilitating communication between devices of the firstnetwork 110 and other distributed computing components such as webservers 160, cloud servers 165, or other host computers 122. Web servers160 and cloud servers 165 may include any configuration of one or moreservers or server systems interconnected with network 150 forfacilitating communications and transmission of content or other data tothe plurality of computing systems interconnected via network 150. Insome embodiments, cloud servers 165 may include any configuration of oneor more servers or server systems providing content or other dataspecifically for the computing components of network 110. Network 150may include the Internet, a private data network, a virtual privatenetwork using a public network, a Wi-Fi network, a LAN or WAN network,and/or other suitable connections that may enable information exchangeamong various components of system 100. Network 150 may also include apublic switched telephone network (“PSTN”) and/or a wireless cellularnetwork.

Host computers 120 and 122 may include any type of computing systemconfigured for communicating within network 110 and/or network 150. Hostcomputers 120, 122 may include, for example, a desktop computer, laptopcomputer, tablet, smartphone and any other network connected device suchas a server, server system, printer, as well as other networkingcomponents.

File server 134 may include one or more file servers, which may refer toany type of computing component or system for managing files and otherdata for network 110. In some embodiments, file server 134 may include astorage area network comprising one or more servers or databases, orother configurations known in the art.

Content disarm server 136 may include one or more dedicated servers orserver systems or other computing components or systems for performingaspects of the example processes for modifying input content to disarmmalicious shellcode. Content disarm server 136 may be in communicationwith any of the computing components of first network 110, and mayfunction as an intermediary system to receive input content or an inputfile from proxy server 130, e-mail server 132, file server 134, hostcomputer 120, or firewall 140 and return, forward, or store a modifiedinput file or modified content according to the example embodiments.Content disarm server 136 may also be configured to perform one or moremalware detection algorithms, such as a signature-based malwaredetection algorithm, or other known behavior-based algorithms ortechniques for detecting malicious activity in a “sandbox,” for example.In some embodiments, one or more malware detection algorithms may beimplemented to confirm that the disclosed techniques rendered anymalicious code included in input content inactive for its intendedpurpose. One or more malware detection algorithms may also beimplemented to first screen input content for known malicious content,whereby the example embodiments are implemented to disarm any maliciouscode included in the input content that may not have been detected bythe one or more malware detection algorithms. Likewise, content disarmserver 136 may also be configured to perform one or more algorithms onreceived input content for identifying suspicious content.

In some embodiments, content disarm server 136 and or file server 134may include a dedicated repository for storing input content received bycontent disarm server 136. The dedicated repository may be restrictedfrom general access by users or computers of network 110. In someembodiments, all or select input content may be stored for apredetermined period of time or according to a policy of a networkadministrator, for example. In some embodiments, input content may bestored in association with modified input content for which any includedmalicious code has been rendered inactive for its intended maliciouspurpose.

Proxy server 130 may include one or more proxy servers, which may referto any type of computing component or system for handling communicationrequests between one or more interconnected computing devices of network110. In some embodiments, proxy server 130 may be configured as one ormore edge servers positioned between a private network of first network110, for example, and public network 150.

E-mail server 132 may include one or more e-mail servers, which mayrefer to any type of computing component or system for handlingelectronic mail communications between one or more interconnectedcomputing devices of network 110 and other devices external to network110. In some embodiments, e-mail server 132 may be configured as one ormore edge servers positioned between a private network of first network110, for example, and public network 150.

First network 110 may also include one or more firewalls 140,implemented according to any known firewall configuration forcontrolling communication traffic between first network 110 and network150. In some embodiments, firewall 140 may include an edge firewallconfigured to filter communications entering and leaving first network110. Firewall 140 may be positioned between network 150 and one or moreof proxy server 130 and e-mail server 132. In the embodiment shown,proxy server 130, e-mail server 132 and firewall 140 are positionedwithin first network 110, however, other configurations of network 110are contemplated by the present disclosure. For example, in anotherembodiment, one or more of the proxy server 130, e-mail server 132 andfirewall 140 may be provided external to the first network 110. Anyother suitable arrangement is also contemplated. Additionally, othernetworking components, not shown, may be implemented as part of firstnetwork 110 or external to network 110 for facilitating communicationswithin the first network 110 and with other external networks, such asnetwork 150.

As described in greater detail below, the processes of the exampleembodiments may be implemented at any one of the computing devices orsystems shown in FIG. 1, including host computer 120, 122, proxy server130, e-mail server 132, file server 134, content disarm server 136,firewall 140, and cloud server 165.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2, which is a schematic block diagram ofan example computing system 200 adapted to perform aspects of thedisclosed embodiments. According to the example embodiments, computingsystem 200 may be embodied in one or more computing components ofcomputing environment 100. For example, computing system 200 may beprovided as part of host computer 120,122, proxy server 130, e-mailserver 132, file server 134, content disarm server 136 or cloud server165, for example. In some embodiments, computing system 200 may notinclude each element or unit depicted in FIG. 2. Additionally, one ofordinary skill in the art would understand that the elements or unitsdepicted in FIG. 2 are examples only and a computing system according tothe example embodiments may include additional or alternative elementsthan those shown.

Computing system 200 may include a controller or processor 210, a userinterface unit 202, communication unit 104, output unit 206, storageunit 212 and power supply 214. Controller/processor 210 may be, forexample, a central processing unit processor (CPU), a chip or anysuitable computing or computational device. Controller/processor 210 maybe programmed or otherwise configured to carry out aspects of thedisclosed embodiments.

Controller/processor 210 may include a memory unit 210A, which may be ormay include, for example, a Random Access Memory (RAM), a read onlymemory (ROM), a Dynamic RAM (DRAM), a Synchronous DRAM (SD-RAM), adouble data rate (DDR) memory chip, a Flash memory, a volatile memory, anon-volatile memory, a cache memory, a buffer, a short term memory unit,a long term memory unit, or other suitable memory units or storageunits. Memory unit 210A may be or may include a plurality of, possiblydifferent memory units. Memory 210A may be a computer or processornon-transitory readable medium, or a computer non-transitory storagemedium, e.g., a RAM.

Controller/processor 210 may further comprise executable code 210B whichmay be any executable code, e.g., an application, a program, a process,task or script. Executable code 210B may be executed by controller 210possibly under control of operating system 210C. For example, executablecode 210B may be an application that when operating performs one or moreaspects of the example embodiments.

User interface unit 202 may be any interface enabling a user to control,tune and monitor the operation of computing system 200, including akeyboard, touch screen, pointing device, screen, audio device such asloudspeaker or earphones.

Communication unit 204 may be any communication supporting unit forcommunicating across a network that enables transferring, i.e.transmitting and receiving, digital and/or analog data, includingcommunicating over wired and/or wireless communication channelsaccording to any known format. Communication unit 204 may include one ormore interfaces known in the art for communicating via local (e.g.,first network 110) or remote networks (e.g., network 150) and or fortransmitting or receiving data via an external, connectable storageelement or storage medium.

Output unit 206 may be any visual and/or aural output device adapted topresent user-perceptible content to a user, such as media content.Output unit 206 may be configured to, for example, display imagesembodied in image files, to play audio embodied in audio files andpresent and play video embodied in video files. Output unit 206 maycomprise a screen, projector, personal projector and the like, forpresenting image and/or video content to a user. Output unit 206 maycomprise a loudspeaker, earphone and other audio playing devices adaptedto present audio content to a user.

Storage unit 212 may be or may include, for example, a hard disk drive,a floppy disk drive, a Compact Disk (CD) drive, a CD-Recordable (CD-R)drive, solid state drive (SSD), solid state (SD) card, a Blu-ray disk(BD), a universal serial bus (USB) device or other suitable removableand/or fixed storage unit. Data or content, including user-perceptiblecontent may be stored in storage unit 212 and may be loaded from storage212 into memory unit 210A where it may be processed bycontroller/processor 210. For example, memory 210A may be a non-volatilememory having the storage capacity of storage unit 212.

Power supply 214 may include one or more conventional elements forproviding power to computing system 200 including an internal batter orunit for receiving power from an external power supply, as is understoodby one of ordinary skill in the art.

Reference is now made to FIG. 3, which is a flowchart of an exampleprocess for modifying input content, which in some embodiments mayinclude an input file, consistent with the disclosed embodiments.According to the example embodiments, process 300 may be implemented todisarm malicious shellcode or aspects of malicious shellcode encoded inone or more data units of input content.

At operation 302, input content may be received or accessed by acomputing system, such as computing system 200, which may be included inany of the computing elements in computing environment 100, includinghost computer 120, 122, proxy server 130, e-mail server 132, file server134, content disarm server 136 or cloud server 165, for example. In someembodiments, for example, the input content is received by a hostcomputer 120, 122 that may be operated by an end-user. In otherembodiments, the input content may be intended for host computer 120,122 (or requested by host computer 120, 122) and is received by anintermediary computing system, such as proxy server 130, e-mail server132, or firewall 140. In some embodiments, the input content may bereceived by a file server 134 or cloud server 165. Additionally, oralternatively, the input content may be received or accessed by contentdisarm server 136, from any of the computing components within network110 or in communication with network 110.

The input content may be received or accessed by computing system 200 byany means known in the art, including such as by importing locally viaan external storage device, downloading or otherwise receiving from aremote webserver, file server, or content server, for example, or byreceiving via e-mail or any other means for accessing or receiving afile or file-like content.

The input content may include one or more data units having a valuerepresenting media content. Media content may include anyuser-perceptible content including image data, video data, or audiodata. In some embodiments, the media content may include content adaptedto be presented, i.e. shown and/or played, to a human, such as a user ofa computing system. In other embodiments, the media content may not beconfigured for presentation to a user. The input content may be in theform of a file configured according to any known file type associatedwith media content or known or suspected to include data elements ofmedia content.

Throughout this disclosure, a data unit may refer to a portion of mediacontent included in input content or an input file. A data unit mayinclude, for example, portions of an image file, of an audio file and/orof a video file that includes media content of the input file. The mediacontent may be displayable image/video content and/or playableaudio/video content. In an image file, for example, a pixel or pixelvalue may be considered a data unit. In an audio file a sequence of bitsrepresenting a short playable audio stream (e.g., as long as 1 ms) maybe considered a data unit. And in a video file, in a similar manner, asequence of bits representing a small portion of a video frame, and/or asequence of bits representing a short playable audio stream of the videofile, may be considered a data unit.

According to some embodiments, one or more rules may be applied by thereceiving computing system (or other intermediary computing system) toreceived input content or files according to known techniques foridentifying trusted or potentially suspicious input files or otherwisesuspicious content. For example, a preliminary analysis of an input filemay include determining the source of the input file, the file type,file structure, the process accessing the file, or any othercharacteristics associated with the input file that may enable adetermination as to a potential for an input file to include maliciouscontent or malicious shellcode, for example. A preliminary analysis isoptional, but in some embodiments it may be useful to first screen aninput file for content or characteristics known or suspected to beassociated with malicious content or activity or otherwise suspiciouscontent. In the example embodiments, however, any malicious codeincluded in the input content can be rendered inactive for its intendedmalicious purpose without having first detected possible or suspectedmalicious or suspicious content. In some embodiments, the disclosedtechniques may be performed when one or more malware detectiontechniques do not identify suspicious content or suspected maliciouscontent in received input content. Additionally, in some embodiments,upon identifying suspicious or malicious content, the disclosedprocesses are run to render any malicious code that may be included inthe input content inactive for its intended malicious purpose. One ormore other known content screening or analysis techniques may beimplemented in addition to the example embodiments.

In an example embodiment, an input file may be suspected to includeshellcode, either based on a preliminary analysis of the input file orbased on some other characteristic of the input file. For example, insome embodiments, an input file of a predetermined file type mayautomatically be deemed suspicious or suspected to include shellcode.The predetermined file type may include one or more file typesassociated with media content or capable of including media content.Additionally or alternatively, an input file may include any file ofpredetermined file type or other characteristic whether suspected toinclude shellcode or not. In some embodiments, each input file may betreated as potentially including shellcode, whether or not a preliminaryanalysis of the input file is also performed.

As part of operation 304, computing system 200 may execute a program orinstructions or otherwise perform a process to determine a portion ofdata units of input content to be modified according to the exampleembodiments. In some embodiments, computing system 200 reads or parsesthe data units of the input content in a process without invoking anexecution engine such as application software of the computing system200 for rendering the input content. That is, in the exampleembodiments, computing system 200 does not render the input content, assuch rendering of input content may result in triggering execution ofmalicious code. In an example embodiment, input content may include oneor more input files or objects etc. In such an embodiment, each distinctfile, object, or content of the received input content may be parsed oneby one in separate iterative processes to disarm any malicious codeincluded in received input content. This may help prevent stagedshellcode attacks that may rely, for example, on an auxiliary input fileor input content.

In some embodiments, the determined portion of data units may includethose data units representing media content of an input file. This maybe determined based on a file type or structure of the input file or byother means for identifying the data units of the payload or content ofthe input file, as distinguished from a header, instructions, or otherdata ancillary to the media content of the input file. In someembodiments each data unit representing media content or payload contentof an input file may be included in the portion of data units to bemodified. In other embodiments, predetermined portions or subsets of thedata units of the input file may be determined for modification. And insome embodiments, the portions of data units may be determined randomlyor pseudo-randomly. A random or pseudo-random number generator, as iscommonly known in the art may be implemented to determine the portion ofdata units. Other techniques that appear random-like, or for which apattern is not readily identifiable or detectable and not frequentlyrepeatable may be used for determining the data units for modification.The predetermined portions may be based on a file type or othercharacteristic of the input content, input file or media contentincluded therein. Additionally or alternatively, the method fordetermining the portion of data units may be based on a file type orother characteristic of the input file or media content, such as theencoding specified for the media content. Additionally, the number orproportion of determined data units of the input file to be modified maybe based on a file type, size, or other characteristics of the inputcontent, input file or media content included therein.

As part of operation 306, computing system 200 may adjust a data unitvalue of the portion of data units determined in operation 304. In theexample embodiments, the data unit value may include a byte value orbinary value represented by a bit or string of bits. The data unit valuemay encode information corresponding to an aspect of media content, suchas a pixel value for image data, or a short (e.g., 1 ms) stream orsample of audio data including a frequency component, for example. Insome embodiments, the aspect of media content encoded by a data unitvalue may correspond to user-perceptible content. In the exampleembodiments, an adjustment of the data unit value may include a binarychange in the data unit value of a data unit. An adjustment of the dataunit values may be uniformly performed on the determined portion of dataunits. Alternatively, the data unit values for individual data units orgroups of data units may be performed individually and may include anadjustment different than other data units.

Operations 304 and/or 306 can be implemented as a data value alterationmodel that selects the data units for alteration or modification anddetermines by what amount or value (such as a binary value) the selecteddata unit values are to altered. Selection of the data units and thealteration value can be performed according to an algorithm, consistentwith the disclosed embodiments.

In an example embodiment, described in greater detail below with respectto FIGS. 4A-4C, input content may include an input file of an image typeor a file including image data, and the data units of the media content(i.e., image data) of the input file include a binary valuerepresentative of a pixel value of the image data. In the exampleembodiment, a data unit value (i.e., binary representation of pixelvalue) of at least some of the data units is modified, adjusted, orchanged. Thus, in a sense, in an example embodiment micro changes or“noise” may be applied to at least portions of the image data of theinput file. The amount of noise (e.g., the number of pixels of imagedata whose value is changed), may be predetermined or based on one ormore characteristics of the input file, as well as other factorsdetailed below according to an example data value alteration model.Likewise, the effect of the adjustment of the data unit value (e.g., thedegree of change in intensity or color of a pixel), may also bepredetermined or based on one or more characteristics of the input file,as well as other factors detailed below according to an example datavalue alteration model.

As part of operation 308, computing system 200 creates modified content,which may include a modified input file, by substituting the adjusteddata unit values of the determined portion of data units with theadjusted data unit values of the respective data units. The modifiedcontent includes new content reflecting the application of a data valuealteration model to the input content. In some embodiments, the dataunit value of the determined portion of data units of a received inputfile may be overwritten by the adjusted data unit value. In otherembodiments, a modified file or modified content may otherwise becreated to include the adjusted data unit value in place of the dataunit values of the respective determined portion of data units. In someembodiments, the modified content may be included in a reconstructedfile in which aspects other than the media content of the input contentor input file may also be modified or changed. For example, a header ofan input file may be modified in a reconstructed file. A reconstructedfile including the modified content may be encoded or compressed or themodified content alone may be encoded or compressed. Other changes to astructure, layout, or format of input content may also be implemented ina reconstructed file.

As part of optional operation 310, modified content or a modified filemay be forwarded to a recipient computing device such as host computer120,122 or a file server 134 or other computing device of computingenvironment 100. Operation 310 may be performed in those embodimentswhere process 300 is performed by a computing device or system otherthan an intended recipient of the input content, for example. Inembodiments where process 300 is performed at a host computer 120, 122,for example, operation 310 may not be performed. Additionally, in someembodiments, modified content may be forwarded to one or more othercomputing devices or systems intermediate or alternative to an intendedrecipient computing device. In the example embodiments, the modifiedcontent may be presented (e.g., played or displayed) at the recipientcomputing device to a human user, or may otherwise be accessed, opened,processed, stored, etc. at the recipient computing device by the user orother process executing at the recipient computing device.

In some embodiments, aspects of process 300 for creating modifiedcontent may be controlled or effected by an end user of a host computer120 or operator of a network 110, for example. In some embodiments, theend user or operator may be enabled to perceive the media content of amodified file, such as by viewing an image file or listening to an audiofile. If the end user or operator perceives distortions in the modifiedfile, the end user or operator may be provided with functionality foradjusting one or more parameters associated with performing process 300,such as a parameter dictating the number of data units to be modified,how the value of the data units are to be adjusted, or how the portionof data units is determined. In some embodiments, a program or otherprocess executed on the computing system 200 may be configured toidentify distortions in the modified file without input from an end useror operator. Thus, in some embodiments, aspects of process 300 may beiteratively performed to achieve desired functionality. In someembodiments, computing system 200 may be configured to learn and adjustover time one or more parameters for creating a modified file based oneor more characteristics of an input file, for example.

Additional details of aspects of example process 300 are now describedin greater detail using an example input file of image data, withreference FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C. FIG. 4A includes a representation of animage of an image file (e.g., input file) including shellcode encoded inthe data units of the image data. FIG. 4B includes a representation ofan image of a modified input file based on the image file presented inFIG. 4A after its shellcode was disarmed according the exampleembodiments. FIG. 4C presents a difference image or a representation ofthe changes between the image data of the input file in FIG. 4A and theimage data of the modified file of FIG. 4B, as generated by BeyondCompare®, a data comparison tool.

FIGS. 4A-4C can be used to explain aspects of an example process 300performed on a bit map (BMP) image file (i.e., input file). As mentionedabove, image 400 of FIG. 4A represents an image displayed using anapplication program of a computing device configured for displaying BMPformat image files. BMP format refers generally to a bitmap image file.Other formats may also be used including a Portable Network Graphics(.PNG) file format, or a Joint Photographic Experts Group (.JPG or JPEG)file format, as well other similar digital image file formats. The imagedata of an input corresponding to image 400 includes at least one dataunit encoding one or more aspects of a malicious shellcode. In thisexample embodiment, aspects of process 300 add noise, e.g., by modifyingor adjusting the data unit value of a data unit corresponding to a pixelof image 400. In this example embodiment, as part of operation 304, aportion of data units, (e.g., pixel values), of image file 400 aredetermined or randomly selected for modification according to a datavalue alteration model. The resulting modified file including image 450of FIG. 4B, as shown, includes virtually no changes noticeable to anaverage human user. In this embodiment, a pixel value (i.e., colorvalue) of the randomly selected portion of data units was adjusted in away that may be virtually unnoticeable to the average human user,whether viewed alone or in comparison to the original input file.

Although changes in image 450 of a modified image file may be largelyunnoticeable to a user, image 480 of FIG. 4C, can be used to illustratethe differences in data unit values between the original input file andthe modified file. Image 480 of FIG. 4C is generated by applying acomparison function, for example, using the commercially-availableBeyond Compare® tool of Scooter Software from Wisconsin, USA. Image 480shows a representation of the differences between the data unit valuesof image 400 of an original input file as compared to the data unitvalues of corresponding data units of image 450 of the modified imagefile. Each black pixel in image 480 represents equality (i.e., nochange) between the corresponding data unit values (e.g., pixel values)of data units (e.g., pixels) in images 400 and 450. Thus, the data unitsfor these pixels were not part of the portion of data units of the inputfile determined for modification, as part of operation 304. A non-black(e.g., grey) pixel represents change in data unit values ofcorresponding data units in images 400 and 450. Thus, the data units forthese pixels were among the portion of data units of the input filedetermined for modification, as part of operation 304. In this example,the non-black pixels range in intensity as can be seen in the varyingcolors of the grey pixels. The lighter the intensity or color of thepixel the larger the difference between the corresponding data unitvalues in images 400 and 450. Thus, in this example, the absolute valueor magnitude of change in a data unit value for a data unit was notuniformly performed, as part of operation 306, with respect to theportion of data units determined in operation 304. As seen in FIG. 4C,the dominant tone is relatively dark, which demonstrates either arelatively small magnitude of change or no change to a majority of thedata units of the input file.

Shellcode embedded in an input file, such as an image file, an audiofile, or a video file, according to some embodiments, may beunnoticeable when/if the image or other media content of that file ispresented to a user (visually and/or audibly). Indeed, hackers have beenknown to encode shellcode in the data units of an input file that is noteasily detectable, if at all, by a user in user-perceptible mediacontent. In many cases, the input file appears to be a legitimate mediacontent file and is usable or operable as a legitimate content file.Yet, as long as shellcode remains embedded or encoded in the data unitsof an input file it may be activated or executed by an applicationprocess of computing system 200. For example, in some embodiments, anyembedded shellcode may be executed when an input file is loaded by abrowser application for web browsing in case of an image file, or loadedby a media player for playing or viewing an audio or video file, etc.

But, if the value of even one bit of a data unit of encoded shellcode ora sequence of shellcode is changed, the integrity of the shellcode canbe breached, and the shellcode can be inactive or disarmed, meaningrendered inoperative or unable to take control over a computing systemor perform other function as intended by the attacker. While a locationof shellcode in the input file, e.g., the one or more data units of theinput file including encoded shellcode, typically is not known and maynot be detectable, there is a chance that randomly or pseudo-randomlyselected data units (e.g., pixels) from the data units of the input file(e.g., all pixels of an image) may include at least one data unit, thevalue of which includes an encoded part of the shellcode. One ofordinary skill in the art would understand that, as part of operation304, as the percent or proportion of randomly selected data units (e.g.,pixels) increases, the likelihood that at least one of the selected dataunits includes encoded shellcode improves, even if the shellcode isencoded in only a relatively few data units.

As part of operation 304, according to an example embodiment, a numberof data units or a proportion of data units may be determined formodification based on a desired amount of noise to be applied to aninput file. Noise in this context means visual distortion, but the levelis so minute that it cannot realistically be perceived by a typicalobserver. While altering a greater number or proportion of data unitsmay improve the ability to disarm any encoded shellcode, applying toomuch “noise” to the input file (e.g., image file) may result innoticeable degradations or modifications of the user-perceptible contentof the input file when/if the modified file is presented to a user.

In some embodiments, each input file or each input file of apredetermined type, etc., or all input content or input content havingcertain characteristics that is received by a computing system 200 maybe processed according to an example process 300, including those inputfiles and input content that do not contain any encoded shellcode norare suspected contain any shellcode. In some embodiments, one or moremalware detection algorithms may first be applied to input content andprocess 300 is performed only if no suspicious activity is detected.This is advantageous because the example process 300 does not assumethat any input file is safe or trusted, based on a preliminary analysisof the input file (if performed) or otherwise. This improves thelikelihood of disarming malicious shellcode including crafty attacks orexploits that are not easily detectable or not yet known (e.g., zero dayexploits). But if computing system 200 of an example embodiment createsa modified file for each input file or those input files ofpredetermined type etc., even for completely legitimate or innocuousinput files, it may be desirable or required in some computingenvironments that the modified file be free of noticeable degradation.This may be desirable so as not to impede usability of the input filesby end users. In other words, according to this example, it may beundesirable to create a modified file if the media content (e.g., image)of the resulting modified file is degraded or modified too far from theimage of the original input file such that it results in a noticeabledifference by the average user or it is unacceptable according to anintended use of the input file. This may be true, even if the exampleprocess 300 succeeds in disarming any embedded/encoded shellcode in theoriginal input file. Thus, in some embodiments, aspects of the exampleprocess 300 may be tailored to realize a balance between effectivenessin disarming shellcode and usability of a created modified file. In someembodiments, it is desirable to disarm any malicious code included ininput content without interfering with an intended use of the inputcontent, such as by not preventing use of the input content for itsintended purpose. In some embodiments, an intended use of the inputcontent will not be interfered with when no noticeable change or only aslight noticeable change is perceptible in the modified content when,for example, viewed on the computer and/or accessed via in anapplication executing on the computer.

An example process 300 can be applied to disarm shellcode encoded in aninput file of image file formats such as .BMP, .PNG and .JPG withresults that may be satisfactory to an end user or organizationoperating a network 110, for example. The tailoring of certain aspectsof an example process have been determined to reliably disarm encodedshellcode while resulting in a modified file or modified content forwhich the applied noise in a modified image is hardly noticeable to theaverage user, if at all.

Example process 300 has been tested on an input file under variousdiffering conditions or parameters. For an example test, noise wasapplied randomly to a percentage of the pixel values (each representedby 8 bits) of an image file ranging from 0.1 to 80 percent of all pixelsof the image. In other words, as part of operation 304, a portion ofdata units (e.g., pixels) were determined based on a proportion orpercentage of total data units representing media content (e.g., pixelsof an image). In the example test, specific data units included in theportion of data units of the media content were selected randomly fromthe data units of the input file. Applying noise to (e.g., adjusting adata unit value of) randomly selected data units at rates of 0.1%-0.5%resulted in a modified image for which none of the tested observersnoticed visible changes or discrepancies between the original input fileimage and the modified file image. Applying noise to randomly selecteddata units at rates higher than 2% resulted in a modified image forwhich at least about 25% of the tested observers could notice visiblechanges or discrepancies between the original input file image and themodified file image. Applying noise to randomly selected data units at arate of 3% resulted in a modified image for which nearly all of thetested observers could notice a visible change or discrepancy betweenthe original input file image and the modified file image. Thepercentage of selected data units resulting in noticeable visual changesmay vary depending on the characteristics of a data unit. For example, agreater percentage of data units may be selected for an 8 bit data unitencoding scheme than for a 4 bit encoding scheme, because a single bitalteration of an 8 bit data unit causes a more subtle change than asingle bit alteration of a 4 bit data unit. Although noticeable changesmay be observed in a side-by-side comparison, in some embodiments thechanges do not affect the intended use of the input content.

According to example embodiments, a probable likelihood of disarmingmalicious code in input content will depend on the length of theshellcode encoded in the input content. In some embodiments, a datavalue alteration model will apply noise randomly (or pseudo-randomly) toX percent of data units (e.g., the pixels of an image) may result in areasonable probability that at least one data unit encoding embeddedshellcode of Y length (e.g., the number of data units including encodedshellcode) may be modified, where X>=1/Y. For example, in someembodiments, randomly or pseudo-randomly selecting 1 percent of dataunits (e.g. 1 byte for every 100 bytes) will result in reasonablelikelihood of modifying shellcode of 100 byte length (Y). For someshellcode, modification of just one bit of the encoded shellcode maydisarm the shellcode.

The manner for adjusting a data unit value, as part of operation 306,for the portion of data units determined in operation 304 may also beperformed to achieve desired results.

As part of operation 306 of an example embodiment, a data unit value ofa randomly selected data unit may be adjusted by the following examplemodification. In this example, a data unit represents a pixel value of apixel of an image of the input file. The pixel value (e.g., data unitvalue) may be represented with an RGB value as is known in the art. Inother embodiments, a pixel value of an image may be represented in otherformats specific to an image type or file type, for example. In anexample embodiment, the RGB value X_((m;n)), Y_((m;n)), Z_((m;n)),respectively, of a data unit of an input file (e.g., original pixelP_((m;n)) may be changed according to the following formula X_((m;n))±i,Y_((m;n))±j, Z_((m;n))±k, resulting in an adjusted value of modifiedpixel Pmod_((m;n)). The adjusted value corresponds to a binary data unitvalue, which may replace the respective data unit value in the modifiedfile, as part of operation 308. The value of the RGB color modifiers i,j, k may vary. Yet to disarm most shellcode there may be no need toapply colors modifiers i, j, k, of a value greater than 1. Modifiers i,j, k, having a value higher than 5 may create a noticeable and/orundesirable change in the modified image of a modified file, without anyadded level of assurance for disarming shellcode. Thus, in an exampleembodiment, the expression that applies for the level of adjustment to adata unit value of each of a randomly (or pseudo-randomly) selected dataunit or pixels P(m;n)={r;g;b}_((m:n)) in an image array M:N according toan example data value alteration model will be:

P(mod)_((i:j)) ={r±i;g±j;b±k){0≤(i,j,k)<5}

In an example embodiment, each of the color modifiers i, j, k, need notbe modified. In other words, it may be desirable to alter only two ofthe base color modifiers, i, j, k, or even only one of them. Thus, insome embodiments, only one of the color modifiers i, j, k, may beadjusted. While such adjustment or modification may limit any noticeablechange in a modified file by an observer, it may carry risk. Forexample, some shellcodes may be encoded in only certain data unit bitsthat represent a certain color of the base colors RGB. Thus, anembodiment that adjusts only the j modifier, for example, may beineffective against a shellcode encoded in the i or k representativebits of the data unit, for example.

For this reason, it may be desirable in the example embodiments todetermine not only the portion of data units in a random-like manner,but also to adjust the data unit values in a random-like manner as well.Such an embodiment may prevent the crafty hacker form cleverlydeveloping a shellcode to account for a systematic modification of aninput file.

Process 300 has many goals, one being a high probability of disarmingencoded shellcode without knowing its location (e.g., the encoded dataunits) in an input file and/or its size (e.g. length or number ofencoded data units). Thus, an example embodiment aims to adjust a dataunit value of as many data units as practicable. It may be preferredfrom a security viewpoint, for example, to adjust the value of each dataunit of an input file (e.g., the value of all of the pixels of an imagefile), yet, this may cause a noticeable, undesirable and/or unacceptablechange to the input file. A modified file may include a modified image,for example, that may be unacceptable for its intended use whenpresented to a user for example. Unacceptability may be determinedobjectively based on a comparison of an image of the original inputfile, for example. Accordingly, it may be desirable to adjust only someor a portion of data units of the input file. However, in some exampleembodiments unacceptability of a modified file for an intended use maynot depend on an objective comparison of the input file and a modifiedfile. This is because subtle changes can be made to input content thatalthough may be noticeable in a side by side comparison, will notinterfere with the intended use of the input content.

In the example embodiments, in order to address a concern of anundesirable or unacceptable modification of an input file, it may beadvantageous to apply a minimal possible modification adjustment to thedata unit value, e.g., the digital representation of a pixel value, foreach data unit determined in operation 304, which in some embodimentsmay include each data unit of the input file. For example, assuming apixel Pix(i,j) in location (i, j) is represented by the digital value ofits R, G, B base colors so that Pix_((i,j))=(r_((i,j)), g_((i,j)),b_((i,j))), a minimal change of the color representation value may beapplied to all of the image pixels, so that for an image of the size M×Nevery pixel Pix_((i,j)){0≤i≤M−1; 0≤j≤N−1} the original pixel colorsvalues may be changed as follows:

[r _((i,j)) ,g _((i,j)) ,b _((i,j)) ]⇒[r _((i,j))±1,g _((i,j))±1,b_((i,j))±1]

For a graphical representation of 8 bits per color, the above adjustmentformat will change the combined color value by 1/256 of the entireintensity range of each base color. For some images of an input file,such small amount of modification may not be noticeable when the imageof a modified file is presented to a user. Such change of the colors ofthe data units of the entire input file is likely to be much smallerthan the difference between the way an image is presented on a firstdisplay device and the way the same image is presented on anotherdisplay device, merely due to the difference in the representation of acertain pixel on the two different display devices when their digitalvalue is the same. Moreover, the example modification may be lessnoticeable than modifications applied to only some pixels, because themodification to the entire image does not contain ‘singular’ locationsin the image since a data unit value of all of the pixels are adjusted.

Thus, according to some embodiments, in order to ensure that at leastone byte of any shellcode in an input image file, if present, will bechanged and thus the shellcode will be disarmed, it may be preferred tomodify each or substantially all of the data units of the input imagefile. Additionally, in order to minimize a magnitude of perceptiblechange of an image of a modified input file, the magnitude of change tobe applied to each data unit or pixels may be ±1.

Reference is made now to FIGS. 5A and 5B, which illustrate a hexadecimaldump 500 of a section of an input image file including shellcodeembedded in the input file shown in FIG. 4A, and a hexadecimal dump 550of the same file section after the shellcode has been disarmed accordingto an example process 300, respectively. As can be seen, in FIG. 5A, theimage 400 of FIG. 4A contains shellcode embedded in positions 0x0030 to0x030f. Following processing of an input file according to the exampleembodiments, the data units of a modified file may have been altered asshown in FIG. 5B. As can be seen in the hexadecimal dump 550 of FIG. 5B,the data unit value of the encoded shellcode content in positions 0x0030to 0x030f has been altered, thereby disarming the encoded shellcode. Inthis embodiment, up to 80% of the data units e.g., pixels of the inputfile were selected at random. As shown in the file section 500 of FIG.5A, the encoded shellcode starts at address 0229h. One may notice thatthe contents, e.g., data unit value, of the locations following address0229h was changed at least by value of 1. For example, at address 0229hthe value “31” in FIG. 5A (encircled in a rectangular) was changed to“30” in FIG. 5B. And at address 022Ah the value “C9” in FIG. 5A waschanged to C8 in FIG. 5B, etc.

It should be noted that the example embodiments may be applied to anyinput file where the judgement of the integrity of its content allows acertain level of deviation from the original content withoutsubstantially deteriorating the overall appearance or perceptibility ofthat content when it is browsed or played, for example, or deterioratingthe conception or preventing the usability of it by a user. Thus, forexample, example embodiments described above with respect to an imagefile may be applied to files of other types of media content such asaudio files or video files (including streaming content), and or otherfiles including non-media content. For these embodiments, an exampleprocess 300 may be applied in keeping with the principle that thecontent (e.g., digital representation of audio tones) of an input filemay be altered or modified sufficiently to provide adequate certaintythat any embedded shellcode may be disarmed, while maintaining auser-perceptible quality of the played modified file as high aspossible, so as not to prevent or interfere with an intended use of thecontent of the input file.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 6A and 6B depicting partial disassembledoutput 600 of the input file of the image shown in FIG. 4A, whichcontains embedded shellcode, and a partial disassembled output 650 ofthe modified file of the modified image presented in FIG. 4B. As can beseen, the partial disassembled output 650 of FIG. 6B indicates a changeof the machine code of the encoded shellcode, in a modified file createdby example process 300. In the examples of FIGS. 6A and 6B, the inputfile and modified file were disassembled using Online Disassemble Toolof DISASSEMBLER.IO. The line marked “A” in the depiction of disassembledcode in FIG. 6A contains the assembly language operator ‘jne’ (meaningjump if not equal) and the operand (jump address) ‘location 00000014’.The same location in the modified file, presented in FIG. 6B and marked“A1” contains the assembly language operator ‘jbe’ (meaning jump ifbelow or equal) and the operand was changed to ‘location 0000009e’. Oneof ordinary skill in the art would understand that due to this change inthe modified file, the original program line of the shellcode, asmodified according the example embodiments, has a completely differentaffect on operation of the shellcode that prevents its intended effect.Similarly, the line marked “B” in the print of disassembled code in FIG.6A contains the assembly language operator ‘rep’ and the operand ‘stos’.The same location in the modified file, presented in FIG. 6B and marked“B1” contains the assembly language operator movs' and a “BYTE PTR”.Here also due to this change in the original program line of theshellcode in the modified file, as modified according to the exampleembodiments, has a completely different effect on operation of theshellcode that prevents its intended effect.

As explained with respect to the image file example above, modificationof data units of an input file containing image data according to theexample embodiments may result in a modified file including a modifieddigital representation of the original image in which the modificationis not likely to be perceived by most average viewers, yet may besufficient to disarm shellcode encoded in the data units of the originalinput file.

In the example embodiments, a computer program adapted to perform thesteps and operations according to example process 300, depicted forexample in FIG. 4, may be stored in a non-transitory storage medium,such as memory 210A (FIG. 2). The computer program may be configuredsuch that when it is executed by a processor, such as processor 210(FIG. 2) of a computing system 200, wherever situated in the computingenvironment 100, it enables the processor to perform aspects of theexample process 300 for modifying input content to disarm any shellcodethat may be encoded in the input content. As described above, theexample process 300 may be performed by any computing component orsystem of components in computing environment 100 for modifying an inputcontent or an input file at one or more nodes in network 110. In someembodiments, example process 300 may be performed on any input contententering network 110 (e.g., via e-mail, download, upload or filetransfer etc.), whether via network 150 or on a local host computer 120,for example. In some embodiments, example process 300 may be performedby a computing element of cloud server 165, for example, to disarm anymalicious code included in content uploaded to the cloud server 165, forstorage for example.

One of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the exampleembodiments described above pertaining to an image file are by exampleonly. The example embodiments described above for disarming shellcodeembedded in an input image file may be similarly applied for disarmingshellcode embedded in input audio file or input video file, or otherinput file types, with necessary changes for processing the differentinput file types. For example, an input audio file sampled at 44,100 Hzrate and 24-bit sampling depth contains 44,100 samples at 24-bitresolution for each second of the sampled audio. Modifying an inputaudio file that may contain encoded shellcode, according to the exampleprocess 300, may be similarly performed for the data units (e.g., audiosamples) of the input audio file. In some embodiments, for example, adata unit value of some or each audio sample of the input audio file maybe altered by a binary value of “1.” Such an alteration will change thetone represented by that data unit value by less than 1/8,000,000 of theoriginal tone. Such a change is not likely to be noticeable to alistener of the modified file.

While certain features of the example embodiments have been illustratedand described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes, andequivalents will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Itis, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended tocover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spiritof the invention.

1-20. (canceled)
 21. A method of disarming malicious code in a computersystem having a processor, the method comprising: automaticallyapplying, by the processor, a data value alteration model to inputcontent having a plurality of data units, the data value alterationmodel being applied without first detecting malicious code in the inputcontent and without knowing a location of data units in the inputcontent including malicious code, the data value alteration modelincluding operations for: determining, by the processor, at least aportion of the plurality of data units included in the input content,the portion being determined based on the data value alteration modeldetermining that at least one of the data units of the portion isstatistically likely to include any malicious code; and alteringrespective data values of the determined portion of the plurality ofdata units included in the input content.
 22. The method of claim 21,wherein the plurality of data units have at least one embedded binarydata unit.
 23. The method of claim 21, the method further comprising:outputting a new content reflecting the application of the data valuealteration model to the input content.
 24. The method of claim 21,wherein the processor, based on the application of the data valuealteration model, disarms malicious code included in the input content,without regard to any structure used to encapsulate the input content.25. The method of claim 22, further comprising: applying a malwaredetection algorithm to the new content, thereby confirming the applieddata value alteration model disarmed malicious code included in theinput content.
 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the malware detectionalgorithm includes at least one of a signature-based malware detectionalgorithm and a behavior-based malware detection algorithm.
 27. Themethod of claim 21, further comprising, applying a malware detectionalgorithm to the input content before applying the data value alterationmodel to the input content, wherein the data value alteration model isapplied only if suspected malicious content is not detected in the inputcontent.
 28. The method of claim 21, wherein the data value alterationmodel reflects an adjustment of a data value determined so as not tointerfere with an intended use of the input content.
 29. The method ofclaim 28, wherein the data value is adjusted by a binary value of one.30. The method of claim 28, wherein the input content comprisesnon-media content.
 31. The method of claim 28, wherein the adjustment ofeach determined data value is determined in an unpredictable manner fromamong an increase in data value and a decrease in data value based onthe data value alteration model.
 32. The method of claim 21, wherein thenumber of data units included in the portion is determined based on thedata value alteration model according to a potential length of maliciouscode.
 33. The method of claim 31, wherein the data value alterationmodel is configured to determine the number of data units included inthe portion as a percentage of data units ‘X’ based on the followingrelationship: ‘X’>=1/‘Y’, where ‘Y’ represents the potential length ofmalicious code as a number of data units.
 34. The method of claim 21,wherein the portion of the data units includes at least 0.1% of theplurality of data units but not more than 2% of the plurality of dataunits.
 35. The method of claim 21, further comprising, before applyingthe data value alteration model to the input content, determining basedon a characteristic associated with the input content whether the inputcontent is suspicious, wherein the data value alteration model isapplied if the input content is determined to be suspicious.
 36. Themethod of claim 21, wherein the input content includes an input file ofa file type indicative of at least one non-media content type.
 37. Anon-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, whenexecuted by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations fordisarming malicious code in a computer system, the operationscomprising: automatically applying a data value alteration model toinput content having a plurality of data units, the data valuealteration model being applied without first detecting malicious code inthe input content and without knowing a location of data units in theinput content including malicious code, and without regard to anystructure used to encapsulate the input content, the data valuealteration model including steps for: determining at least a portion ofthe plurality of data units included in the input content, the portionbeing determined based on the data value alteration model determiningthat at least one of the data units of the portion is statisticallylikely to include any malicious code; and altering respective datavalues of the determined portion of the plurality of data units includedin the input content.
 38. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, theoperations further comprising: outputting a new content reflecting theapplication of the data value alteration model to the input content. 39.A system for disarming malicious code, the system comprising: means forautomatically applying a data value alteration model to input contenthaving a plurality of data units, the data value alteration model beingapplied without first detecting malicious code in the input content andwithout knowing a location of data units in the input content includingmalicious code, the data value alteration model including operationsfor: determining at least a portion of the plurality of data unitsincluded in the input content, the portion being determined based on thedata value alteration model determining that at least one of the dataunits of the portion is statistically likely to include any maliciouscode; and altering respective data values of the determined portion ofthe plurality of data units included in the input content.
 40. Thesystem of claim 39, further comprising: means for outputting a newcontent reflecting the application of the data value alteration model tothe input content.
 41. The system of claim 39, wherein the data valuealteration model is configured to disarm malicious code included in theinput content without regard to any structure used to encapsulate theinput content.